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David Haye vs Dereck Chisora – time to put the panto to bed

Love them or hate them, agree with the fight or disagree with it, the truth is impossible to escape.

Everybody is talking about David Haye against Dereck Chisora.

So much so that Amir Khan’s unification contest with unbeaten Danny Garcia across the Atlantic this weekend has almost sneaked by unnoticed.

Morally, the fact two shamed heavyweight fighters who were exposed to the world for their unforgivable brawl in Munich earlier this year, is wrong.

They are role models to our younger generation and their actions in the build up to the contest have been inexcusable. They have made a mockery of British boxing – whatever the outcome this evening.

But with nearly 40,000 boxing nuts expected to cram into Upton Park, home of West Ham United, that statistic would suggest it is what the viewing public wants.

When the politics and panto is finally put to bed for anything up to 10 rounds, the fight itself is an intriguing one.

The 31-year-old ‘Hayemaker’ is the undoubted favourite. Weighing in almost three stone lighter than Zimbabwe born Chisora could see him blow his opponent away early.

But for all his controversy, 28-year-old Chisora is a quality fighter. One can only imagine how his career may have panned out had he applied himself exceptionally throughout.

He can take a hammer of a punch, as Tyson Fury discovered, and will always plough forward.

He is the shorter, heavier, slower boxer, which could see him tailor-made for Haye’s speed and precision punching.

But Chisora (15 wins, three losses) boasts a heart and courage that should seen him through to the latter rounds. If Haye becomes complacent or frustrated, then that will spark Chisora’s chance of victory. He can punch a bit too and is by no means slow for a heavyweight.

Haye (24 wins, two losses) has been knocked out before – something that has never happened to his opponent tonight.

At times Chisora looked capable of breaking Vitali Klitschko’s empire back in February, something Haye never looked like doing in his defeat to brother Wladimir last year.

But Haye would appear to have the edge on a game Chisora in every department. He is supremely confident and will take some beating so long as his focus remains intact.

The Luxembourg Boxing Federation, steel gates, trash talk of the worst kind, bottles and brawls – it is all a bit of a farce that seems to be becoming the norm in the sport.

Let’s hope the fight itself makes up for that and the world can at least start to respect British heavyweight boxing again.